Apparatus and method for cropping an image

A method of cropping an image, said image being represented as a first digital array of pixel values, said method comprising the steps of:

• a) processing said first digital array to produce a second digital array of pixel values, said processing including applying an edge enhancement transformation to said first digital array;
• b) partitioning said second digital array into predetermined horizontal rows of pixel values;
• c) summing pixel values for each of said horizontal rows to obtain brightness sums for each of said rows;
• d) dividing said rows into first and second groups in accordance with predetermined criteria relating to said horizontal row brightness sums;
• e) partitioning said second digital array into predetermined vertical columns;
• f) summing pixel values for each of said vertical columns to obtain brightness sums for each of said columns;
• g) dividing said columns into third and fourth groups in accordance with predetermined criteria relating to said column brightness sums;
• h) identifying a part of said first digital array corresponding to pixels common to said first and third groups of said second digital array;
• i) outputting said part of said first digital array to generate a cropped image.

An apparatus for cropping an image, said image being represented as a first digital array of pixel values, said apparatus comprising:

• a) means for processing said first digital array to produce a second digital array of pixel values, said processing including applying an edge enhancement transformation to said first digital array;
• b) means for cropping said second digital array to form first and second groups of predetermined segments of said second digital array in accordance with predetermined criteria relating to brightness of said segments;
• c) means for identifying a group of said first digital array corresponding to said first group of said second digital array;
• d) means for outputting at least a part of said group of said first digital array to generate a cropped image.